When assembling a proper home theater -- whether it be for enjoying Blu-ray movies, HD television, or gaming -- a good, solid HDTV is usually the first step. But for the true cinephile, TV enthusiast, or hardcore gamer, no theater setup is complete without a quality surround sound system.

In the realm of surround sound headphones for either media viewing or gaming, there is a fundamental divide between two prevailing concepts: 'true' surround sound and virtual surround sound.

How Surround Sound Headphones Work

True surround sound headphones follow the same basic philosophy as surround sound speakers; they use several discrete speakers placed in each headphone cup that handle different channels of sound.

Early models offered quadrophonic sound (4 channels), but virtually all modern models offer the now familiar 5.1 or 7.1 surround audio. These headphones effectively counter the problem of unnatural, detached sound.

With sound entering the ear canal from multiple angles, the audio no longer appears to be originating directly in the head as it does with standard headphones.

In theory, true surround sound headphones will offer a more accurate surround experience given the dedicated drivers for each channel.

This is especially useful for gamers, particularly in multi-player games like Halo or Call of Duty where proper

sound placement can mean the difference between killing or being killed.

VeriSonix core Technology

Many companies have their own methods and algorithms for achieving virtual surround sound. On a basic level, what these headphones accomplish is to redirect sound emanating from the headphone speaker so that, instead of moving directly into the ear canal, it hits the outer edges of the ear and rolls in over a period of time.

Like true surround sound, these sound waves appear to be coming from multiple angles, avoiding the sensationthat the sound is being generated directly within the viewer's head.

Handmade Wooden Case

The distinctive ear cover is made from original Cherry/ Walnut… wood and is laboriously shaped by CNC, with the entire multi-stage production process of each ear cover taking up to 1 hours to complete.